Rocking-chair



(No Model.)

T. L. HOLT.

ROCKING GHAIR.

No. 590,396. Patented Sept. 21,1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS L. HOL'R'OF BURLINGTON, NORTH OARQLINA.

ROCKING-CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 590,396, datedSeptember 21, 1897.

Application filed February 23, 1897. Serial No. 624,599. (No model.)

To to whom, it may concern;-

Be it known that I, THOMAS L. HOLT, residing at Burlington, in thecounty of Alainance and State of North Carolina, have invented a new anduseful Rocking-Chair, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in chairs, and moreparticularly to a combined rocking and stationary chair.

The object of my invention is to produce a rocking-chair provided withmeans whereby it may be converted into a non-rocker; and with thisobject in View my invention consists in certain novel features ofconstruction and in combinations and arrangements of parts more fullydescribed hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention,Figure 1 is a per spective view of myimproved chair, showing my devicein operative position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the hingedrear portion raised to act as a support when the chair is not employedas a rocker, and Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the adjustable armin a raised position.

Like letters of reference mark the same parts wherever they occur in thevarious figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by letters, A is an ordinary rocking-chairprovided with a seat B and with suitable legs and back frame connectedto the rocker O.

D indicates a rear extension or arm pivotally secured to the rocker O atthe rear end thereof, preferably at a point closely adjacent to the rearof the lower end of the back legs of the chair, a flat link E beingrigidly secured on the outside of the extension-arm and pivotallyconnected to the rear end of the rocker C, so that said extension may beraised or lowered on said pivot from the line of the rocker to avertical position, and vice versa, as may be desired. The opposite sideof this extension D, near its inner end, is provided with a plate F,rigidly secured thereto, as shown, and of such a length that when theextension is in line with the rocker the inner end of the plate will liefor some distance against the inside of the rear end of the rocker, andwhen the extension is raised to a perpendicular position the lower endof this plate F, which may be provided with a foot or extension to giveadditional bearing upon the floor, will bear against the floor and actas a support to hold the rear end of the rocker off the floor, therebypreventing any further rocking movement and providing a stationary ornon-rocking chair.

H represents a cross-bar connecting the rocker extension D with itsduplicate on the other side of the chair. I

J J are the two arms of a pair of togglelevers, connected together at Lby a stophinge and pivoted at one end at I on the cross-bar H, whichconnects the two rocker extensions together, and'at the other end to therear leg of the chair at N, some distance above the rocker.

The plates E and F and toggle-levers J and J may be duplicated on theother side of the chair. The continuation of the upper end of thetoggle-lever J beyond its pivotal connection with the legs of the chairforms a handle M, located under the chair in a position to be easilyreached fronrtlie end or side thereof.

The operation of the device is as follows: lVhen it is desired to use astationary chair, (supposing the parts to be in theposition shown inFig. 1,) the lever is grasped and swung rearwardly, causing the hingedconnecting-bar carried thereby and secured to the rear arm to fold,throwing the arm D, by means of the link connections, upwardly until thesaid arm is raised sufficiently to permit the plate on the lower end tobear against the ground, when the chair will be made a stationary one.

Of course the reverse movement is necessary when it is desired toconvert 'a stationary chair to a rocking-chair, the lever in thisinstance being thrown forward, it being understood that the lever at ornear its upper portion can be pivoted to any portion of the rear part ofthe chair, as shown at N.

The device is very simple in construction and composed of but a fewparts, and by its use I am enabled to use a single chair either as astationary one or for a rocker, thereby obviating the necessity of usingtwo chairs.

Many other advantages are apparent, and it is evident that variousslight changes might be made in the forms and constructions of the partsdescribed Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.Hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein setforth, but consider myself entitled to all such changes as fall withinthe spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A rocking-chair provided with a suitable seat, legs, and rockersrigidly secured thereto, that portion of the rockers in the rear of therear legs being pivotally attached, in com- .bination with means forraising said rear portion to a vertical position against the rear legs,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a rocking-chair of a seat, legs, and rockersrigidly secured together, with rear extensions pivoted to the rockers inthe rear of the rear legs of the chair, means for raising theseextensions to a vertical position behind the rear legs, and stopsbrought into position by the adjustment of the rocker extensions wherebythe chair is supported in anon-rocking position, substan-- tially asdescribed.

3. The combination in a rocking-chair of a rigid seat, rigid legs andrigid rockers secured thereto, extensions to the rear in line with therockers, a plate rigidly secured to one of said extensions and pivotallysecured to the rear end of one of the rockers and projecting somedistance along the rocker when the extensions and rocker are in line,and means for raising said extensions and plate to a vertical positionin the rear of the chair, whereby the extension of said plate becomes astop to prevent the rocking of the chair and hold it in an uprightposition, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination in a rocking-chair of a rigid seat, rigid legs andrigid rockers, with pivoted extensions at the rear end of the rockersand toggle-levers pivoted at one end to the rear legs of the chair andat the other end to one of said rocker extensions and provided withasuitable handle, whereby said rocker extensions may be adjusted to avertical position behind the chair, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a rocking-chair of a rigid seat, legs and rockerswith extensionarms pivotally connected to the rear end of the rockers bymeans of plates rigidly secu red to the rocker extensions and extendingalong the rocker some distance in front of the pivot, and a pair oftoggle-levers connected together bya stop-hinge, one arm being pivotallyconnected to the rocker extensions and the other to the rear leg of thechair and extended to form a handle, substantially as set forth.

THOS. L. HOLT. lVitnesses:

O. F. RANHERT, LACY Ross.

